saiko

Diaura's 'FOCUS' and 'TRIANGLE' remain to me as the two of the best releases of the whole VK history. Both are filled with a wide range of diverse climaxes and also a very unique composition work. In my opinion, nothing they've released after that to date compares to the gems packed into those two albums, it even sounds repetitive many times. They are one of the best examples of artistry within the scene. 

So it's no secret Suicidal Tendencies was very influential to Visual Kei. Everyone knows 90's Visual Kei has punk roots, as well as thrash metal roots, and that combination was Suicidal's bread and butter. This is an example I noticed recently of a Visual Kei song taking inspiration from them.:
 
Furan Yue Ni by La:Sadie's seems to have taken a lot from Subliminal by Suicidal
 
As a bonus I'll throw in Byou Shin by Dir en Grey. There are probably even more examples, but I'm only a very casual listener to Suicidal (I've been neglecting them for so long lmao)
 

I still wish they made an effort to write songs that sound distinct from each other tbh

My favorite album by them is Uroboros. Don't have anything else to say, it's just that good.
 
It's a bit hard for me to choose their worst album since I really dislike both Kisou and TIW, but going by the circumstances each one of those were released, I think TIW stands out negatively more. Kisou is an album by a band that is still trying to find their sound and is expanding their sonic palette by trying new things, but while the ideas are good on paper, it often fails flat when it comes to executing them. Saying that, I think Kisou succeeds at what it tries: to be a weird, experimental and off-putting album, which the strange-sounding production definitely adds to the atmosphere of the record.
 
The Insulated World, on the other hand, was released when the band already reached significant success and following, after a string of three records with very positive reception, and after the biggest interval between LP releases so it was a highly antecipated album. While Kisou at least has some originality, I feel like TIW is a rehash of ideas and formulas that already had some mixed reception at the time of their releases (see The Marrow of a Bone). The production is terrible and definitely doesn't add up to the album, the track order and pacing of the album is really problematic and the stand-out tracks are very by-the-numbers. Stuff from Kisou like "Jessica" or "Embryo" (and even though I don't like the studio version vocals, "24 Cyllinders" is an awesome composition) were legit stand-outs. I like "Ranunculus" a lot but I don't really think it has the power of their previous power ballads, and while the single tracks are fun to listen to, they are really underwhelming compared to the stuff that came before it. 
 
So yeah my complete list would be: Uroboros>Vulgar>DSS>Gauze>Arche>WtD>Marrow>Macabre>Kisou>TIW

So Yesterday , Miku announced  the date of 6th january 2020 is already sold-out. After  this, the demand of this is really  large.  After that, Miku announced a new performance at the 7th january 2020  in the same stage.
 
Source :Visualive

Thank you so much!
 
My question over Kizu's resources origins has to do also with members past activities. None of them have a past of involvement in, at least, 'famous' projects. For example, Versailles, like Kizu, started out with what one can consider great amount of resources, and one can easily reconduct that fact to Kamijo being the ex-vocalist and overall composer and producer of an act that played a key part in the late 90s scene (I'm talking about Lareine). But that's not the case of Kizu; sure Lime was part of many bands like Lezard (was that the name?), but I think we can all agree that none of these bands was as successful or relevant as Kizu got since their first single. Maybe they actually have worked in projects that hadn't this need of high media exposure but nonetheless made a name and/or great sums of money (maybe like being sessionists, and/or producers, and/oror composers, etc.)?

i love vk labels

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So because I do nothing with my spare time besides smoke and listen to visual kei bands, I devised a time wasting game. Vk has alot of common titles and common themes because duh but I figured why not make a game out of how many times you hear or see these phrases and lump them in several playlists.
 
I decided to make a playlist for every song that has the following criteria, songs of the same name like "Higanbana" or "xxx"
- Songs that have the "KIEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" staple in them
- All of Kyouki's "SEI YAI YA YA" or "ITAI ITAI ITAI" or whatever
- A playlist of songs that use the same bridge 
- Playlists full of songs that are re:recorded 
- A playlist of songs where the vocalist says "Daruma San Ga Koronda, or XXX Ga Koronda"
- A play list of songs where censored parts are replaced by the unicode x x x x x 
-Songs named Rengoku
- Songs about Rabbits/Usagi 
- Songs named Sakura, Sakura No Uta or have Sakura in them
- A play list of songs called THE END or starting with THE
- Songs about Dolls/ that includes doll in the title. Kairai counts aswell
 
 
 

Here's a bit of an update on skincare products I've been enjoying! Sorry but, I will probably keep on talking about (asian) skincare products here lol.
 
Cure Natural Aqua Gel (Japan) - Apparently, this is the no.1 exfoliator in Japan and I can definitely see why! My skin looks brighter every time I use it and there has been less redness on my face. My skin texture seems to have improved and gotten smoother as well. I use it in the morning twice a week after rinsing my face with water and towel-drying it. It's a bit pricey if you buy online so I would snag it in Japan if you get the chance. Since you only need to use it twice a week the bottle will last pretty long though. I've started using it on my legs too since it's pretty dry there and I've noticed that it has gotten a bit smoother. My legs are like alligator skin I swear.
 
Kikumasamune Sake High Moist Lotion Toner (Japan) - Yes, there is sake in this, but this thing works! At least for my scalp. I've dealt with dandruff for as long as I can remember and after reading how others have used this moisturizing toner on their scalp, which is mostly meant for the face, I've decided to try it myself. And I will tell you that I've significantly gotten less dandruff and itchiness in my hair. My scalp has never felt healthier. Showering in colder water or trying different shampoos never worked, but this did the trick. The bottle is really HUGE and I've read reviews saying that the pump works horribly and sprays across the room so I've been decanting it in a travel size spray. I spritz this on my scalp after showering and massage it a little with my fingertips. I have not tried it much on my face so I can't really give my opinion on that.
 
Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF50 (Japan) - Good physical sunscreen for oily-skin types. This feels very lightweight and has a milky consistency to it. My face never feels congested whenever I use it, which is great. The bottle is a little small but it's very travel-friendly. Also,  make sure to shake the bottle before using otherwise you'll only get the oil part of the product lol.
 
Etude House SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner (Korea) - A soothing and gentle toner that I love to pair with the emulsion from the same line. It seems to boost the madecassoside benefits from both products, which is good for repairing damaged irritated skin, and helps in calming my inflamed bumps. The consistency is very watery but has a slight viscosity to it. It also comes in 3 different sizes so if you're trying it out for the first time you can choose to buy the smaller size. I finished the small bottle not too long ago and recently got a new one in the 180ml size.
 
I really can't talk about makeup since I'm not much of a makeup person.

Because it was his first live as a UNiTE member so he got emotional He used to be a big fan of UNiTE. before joining them.

More on Suu's departure: a family member collapsed on the day before a live back on August 24, and after being examined, they were diagnosed with cancer. Since devoting himself to the relative's treatment, Suu has been taking up all the family work, and has less time for the band. As a result, he is only able to perform in Nagoya (his hometown?), which is the reason why the band will be holding their last onemans there. A support bassist will perform at their last live in Shinjuku Reny.
 
https://lineblog.me/jackmw_staff/archives/1837913.html

So yeah, i was watching UNiTE's japanese wikipedia and i translated it to english cuz i don't speak japanese and it said that Haku would have been in a relationship with UNiTE's former drummer Yukimi. Is this right?? Or am i just a stupid person who doesn't understand english correctly?
 
 
Here's the link:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ユナイト_(バンド)

imagine coming back and doing this, your last thing and this is the thing you choose to do

Oh, my, god. I can't believe that there actually WAS western people coming to Japan for, like, a tour final of Syndrome or even Dir's 2001 Budokan?! What kind of weird anime crossover is this?!
 
This is such gold to the guys interested in vk culture besides its music. We should start a thread (or even a board?) for you the aunties/uncles of the '1st wave' to tell us with as much detail as you want your antics back then!
 
Thank you SO much for this!

I fucking know that the guitar phrase at 1:10 was directly extracted from a VK song I've heard a lot of times, but I can't recall which one! Halpp!!!1
 
Btw, sill sounding so much like a song from Kuroyume's "Feminism" album (with 'Sugizoesque' solos), bordering plagiarism. But still much fresh than almost anything else today in the scene.
 
So it's a yes for me.
 

I also find br00tal stuff to be mediocre the majority of times, but Cazqui's work with symphonic arrangments, contrapunctual guitar and bass lines, harmonic modulations, heavy emphasis on melody, etc. makes the easy-tiring blast beats, guitar chugging and screaming instead very pleasing and interesting. I think thats the reasong why I, who always was suspicious about anything br00tal, came to like Nokubura a lot back when they were still active with their original line-up...

I came back to say that just now I discovered that Nocturnal Bloodlust have a song called "macho of the world" and there I was hoping to see the lyrics since they are usually in english but this one is in japanese. Damn
Someone, anyone know where I can find the translation for this? Or know if it is as precious as I think it is?
Also, I'm always excited to hear they singing in japanese, can't wait to listen to the song. It's from august...
I've been living under a rock this year because I had no internet conection at home nor time at work to do non-worky things, and it finally came back some days ago, there's another reason I'm back and hopefully to stay, oh, also, I'm finishing college this year, hooray. I'll be back to my precious music listening habits hopefully.
I google macho of the world (without specifying the band's name since the title sounded pretty exclusive to them) at work and a bunch of gay porn showd up.
 
Hello again to all. And nice to meet you all again, I suppose I'm not very known here.

I think a huge part in the Uroboros to DSS sales slump was that the popularity of weeb shit was sinking fast and the promotional machine falling apart by the seams. The optimism for the foreign market must've been massive after 2008 and I'm sure tons of money was spent on promoting Deg overseas with next to no return to that investment. That must've been very disappointing both for the band and management once it was finally realised that they peaked in American and European venue size already back in 2006 and it's only going to be downhill from there no matter what they do. I consider this band entering their old man phase right around when Sukekiyo was formed and Arche was released. The ambition that went to DSS is obviously on a different level to Arche and TiW, but whether that's a good thing depends on what you think of their Monster energy drink-pig squeal-core-Mike Patton-time signature wanking era. To me the band that made everything from Missa to Vulgar ain't the same band as this one. Sometimes when I put on a track like 24k Cylinders or Macabre in the right state of mind I go like fuck, what a fucking band that was. It's the same guitarists farting that fucking dial-up modem sounding chug that made egnirys and 304? I cannot believe it.
 

 
thank u
 
 
 

I really enjoyed this thread. Thank you @Zeus.
 
As for DSS to ARCHE, I did somewhat of a case study for it.
 
The band (or maybe just Kaoru) did want to make a more badass version of Uroboros because of how well received Uroboros was. They were really confident and very open when it came to promo for DSS. Remember how Shinya did a QnA on FB? And how they had giveaways every other day like a month or so before DSS dropped and the twitter account was hella active? Once the album dropped and they seen how many units it sold, it definitely hurt their ego and overall morale. 
 
To paint a picture here's what i was able 2 pull from Wiki:
Uroboros JP sales: 43,316 
US Sales/Shipments: 6054
 
VS.
 
DSS JP Sales: 37,586
US Sales/Shipments: 3,900 
 
(if im wrong here or these numbers are inaccurate, please let me know) 
 
The bands attitude shifted  after that and I remember there was a lot of talk about them hating each other and possibly disbanding, due to the interviews that dropped post the release of the album. It also didn't help that the performances were and arguably still are pretty bad due to how they recorded DSS. Clearly the band didn't learn their lesson because they proceeded to take the same approach when it came to the Unraveling, which imo aged badly minus a few songs. 
 
The band did go back to basics when it came to ARCHE and that same energy they went into DSS with was non-existent. Yes, they did learn how to work together again but they played it safe sound wise. It has hints of their oldie stuff mixed with DSS, thus making it one of their most lukewarm albums to date and imo it doesn't hold up well years later. 
 
 
The Insulated World, is a step in the right direction. It has elements from ARCHE and DSS that blend well with each other and has enough freshness thrown in that separates its self from them.
 
Its also has some of the bands worst written songs to date...Zetsuentai and Devote My Life belong in a dumpster fire.
 
As much as I love the album, its no where near as creative as DSS or Uroboros. DSS is where the band peaked and now they're in the same boat as Lynch. and the GazettE. They've found their medium and they're gonna stay there, while occasionally doing something that really stands out. The World of Mercy should be a clear indicator of that. And THAT IS FINE. 
 
Promotion wise, I don't think they care much for it at this point. ARCHE had like 2 singles but they were REALLY spaced out. The insulated world had like 2 other really spaced out singles as well. Though, a lot of that could be because of DECAYS and Sukekiyo. They also stopped dropping physical releases for the US as well and I think that's out of spite for the low sales DSS did over here. 

can't believe 2019 started with kizu and dimlim as the biggest hopes for the future of vk and now by the end of the year the only one we have left is raku x gaki, bless

Love them or hate them, almost everyone's got an opinion about Dir en grey. The scene stops to listen whenever Dir en grey announce a new single or album. As a long time fan of the band, I think it's the perfect time to express how I feel about all of their albums. My feelings will differ from album to album. Some albums have had the benefit of twenty years and others only a few months, so that's always going to be a factor in how I rank things. I will cover this from my least favorite album to my most favorite album, but by no means take this as a definitive list for Dir en grey. Everyone will have their own rankings and their own suggestions for where to start. I happen to think that this also a great order to introduce someone to this band.
 
This is a perfect topic for those that don't listen to Dir en grey or don't know where to start, current fans looking for spicy opinions and a pot to stir, or even old fans looking for a reintroduction into their new era. Not only have I included a PV for each album as a sampler, but I also put together suggested playlists for each album. The playlists are the order that I would have arranged the band if I were them. The songs are the songs that I believe are the best from each period. Some will require more effort than others to construct. To make it simpler, I have included my favorite three tracks and one music video from each album.

I will not consider the mini albums MISSA and six Ugly in this analysis, but some of those tracks will appear in the playlists I create.
 
DUM SPIRO SPERO
 
Album No: 8
Released: August 2, 2011
Length: 67:31
 
 
鬼葬 (kisou)
 
Album No: 3
Released: January 30, 2002
Length: 69:57
 
THE MARROW OF A BONE

Album No: 6
Released: February 7, 2007
Length: 50:05
 
ARCHE
 
 
Album No: 9
Released: December 10, 2014
Length: 68:01
 
🎖️The Insulated World🎖️
 
Album No: 10
Released: September 26, 2018
Length: 50:27

🏅Withering to death.🏅
 
Album No: 5
Released: March 9, 2005
Length: 51:14

🥉MACABRE🥉
 
Album No: 2
Released: September 20, 2000
Length: 72:57

🥈GAUZE🥈
 
Album No: 1
Released: July 28, 1999
Length: 64:47
 
🥇UROBOROS🥇
 
Album No: 7
Released: November 11, 2008
Length: 58:54

👑VULGAR👑
 
Album No: 4
Released: September 10, 2003
Length: 57:02

That's everything folks! Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Did you like it? Did you agree? Do you have your own rankings? Leave them below! I'm interested to know what everyone's opinions are, especially since Dir en grey is one of my favorite bands ever. So many people are passionate about this band like no other. If enough people liked this, I may follow up soon with one for the GazettE.
 

Until next time

Imho, 'Weekend' is the perfect example of X's musical concept, and I dare to say that that concept played a key part in the development of VK's musical concept itself. 'Weekend' starts out as a typical glam riot-song -considering the difference that makes the full melodic bassline of Taiji againts the always-on-the-root of most of the Western metal basslines-. But when one reaches the pre-chorus, the song fills with orchestral string arrangments and suddenly the ambient shifts from a groupie-party to a scenery of beauty and tragedy. The PV makes this very clear while putting this sounds into images of shoujo manga-like characters in situations of self-harm, suicide, crazyness, loneliness, etc.
 
Of course, I'm not saying you can't dislike X lol. Just wanted to share some points with you and everyone else about the things that imho make X a special act in the history of rock, aside from Wikipedia and bandomen overall calling them the VK momma with no apparent explanation.